Oceanside goalie Bryan Tirado deflects last-minute shot to maintain tie with Freeport
Oceanside goalie Bryan Tirado, center, reacts after making a save at the buzzer to preserve a 2-2 tie with Freeport in a Nassau Conference AAA boys soccer game on Tuesday. Credit: James Escher
The clock sped under 10 seconds to go in this deadlocked soccer match when suddenly there was a breakdown.
Bryant Cruz found himself alone with the ball for Freeport, closing in on the Oceanside goalkeeper from the right side of the box — one vs. one for the win or the draw.
Bryan Tirado had waited a year to work in front of this net for the Sailors, having sat behind Caldwell-bound senior keeper Joe Zweben last season. But now Tirado is the senior. Now is his time to show what he can do.
With Tirado standing by the right post, Cruz unleashed a wicked shot from about 7 yards out that appeared like it was ticketed for the upper right corner of the net.
“I’m ready to make that save,” Tirado said. “That’s the one spot — I can never get beat [at] my near post. I just reacted quick.”
Tirado somehow got his left hand up and deflected the ball away just a few seconds before time ran out on two good Nassau Conference AAA teams, making it a 2-2 final Tuesday at Oceanside.
“Sitting a whole season on the bench isn’t the ideal thing for me, but it showed me I needed to work harder,” Tirado said.
“I think that’s what I did. And all that work paid off here, really proving how good I am.”
He made nine saves, including two tough stops when the Sailors (1-1-1, 1-1-1) trailed by a goal in the second half.
“He patiently waited, worked on his craft, and look at the results of his success right there,” coach Patrick Turk said.
Dylan Wassenbergh cut Oceanside’s deficit to 2-1 with 3:34 remaining until halftime by depositing a penalty kick past Edison Rios, who made four saves.
Then Nick Genna delivered the equalizer nearly nine minutes into the second half.
“We’re going to work to make sure we’re in the playoffs,” Turk said.
The Red Devils took a 1-0 lead with 17:21 left in the first half on an own goal. It took 1:22 for them to double it on an Angel Nativi goal.
“A two-goal lead, like anyone will ever say, is the most dangerous lead you can have,” Freeport coach Craig Klasson said.
Still, his group (3-0-2, 1-0-2) has yet to be beaten.
“Very, very hopeful and confident in our team,” Klasson said. “We just need to be able to play a complete game.”
